Conventional dual mode mobile devices with the ability to access data networks and voice networks are required to select and manage the different radio interface channels that provide access to the data and voice networks. These conventional devices are often operational on the worse of the two radio interface channels, causing the user experience to degrade and suffer. Furthermore, these conventional devices typically perform unnecessary scans looking for available or preferred networks and in doing so shorten the battery life of the mobile device.
One limited solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,829,481 (“Souissi”) that allows a mobile device in a region of overlapping coverage between competing network to switch from a non-preferred network to a preferred network according to a roaming table. Souissi describes eliminating continuous background scanning for available networks by storing geographic position information for available networks in the roaming table. Souisse teaches that this information in the roaming table provides a GPS enabled device with foreknowledge of available networks and reduces the need for continuous background scanning. Unfortunately, the solution described in Souissi significantly suffers from incorrect or stale position information, and may actually result in the device performing many unnecessary scans to determine the real time status of available networks.
These significant drawbacks of the conventional dual mode mobile devices result in less than desirable performance by the mobile device and a diminished overall user experience. What is needed is a system and method that addresses these problems with the conventional dual mode mobile devices.